Production of faster and more powerful integrated circuits in the microelectronics industry requires that the dimensions of devices patterned using advanced lithography continue to decrease. Current high-resolution lithographic processes are based on chemically amplified resists (CARs) and are routinely used to pattern features with dimensions less than 100 nm. As feature dimensions shrink to below 50 nm, however, the use of CARs poses significant new challenges with respect to problems such as line edge roughness, critical dimension control, and collapse of patterned structures due to capillary forces.
Thus, new materials and processes are needed to deliver molecular level control to meet exacting tolerances and margins, and placement of the structures, including registration and overlay, with nanometer precision.